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Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Leader of BMC Gang Gets 168 Months for Racketeering

BOISE – Alfredo Castro, a/k/a
"Papos," 36, was sentenced today to 168 months in federal prison for
conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, U.S. Attorney Wendy J.
Olson announced. U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge also ordered Castro to serve
three years of supervised release and pay a $100 special assessment. He pled
guilty to the charge on June 7, 2012. He is currently housed in the Idaho
Maximum Security Institution.

Castro is a leader and founding member
of the Brown Magic Clica (BMC) gang, a Sureño street gang with members in the
Districts of Idaho and Oregon.

According to the plea agreement, Castro
admitted that he conspired to commit racketeering acts, including the
solicitation of arson and murder, through conversations he had while
incarcerated in IDOC. Castro admitted that BMC rules state that any individual
who cooperates as a witness in a criminal investigation against a BMC member is
an enemy to BMC. BMC members are to engage in intimidation, including threats
and acts of violence, against any cooperating witness.

Castro admitted that in December of
2008, he ordered BMC members to commit the crime of arson on a business in
Fruitland, Idaho, where a BMC member had committed a murder. Castro's order to
commit the arson was not carried out. Castro further admitted that he commanded
BMC members to kill a former member who had testified in a murder trial against
a fellow gang member. BMC members later discussed Castro's command in three
separate BMC meetings. Castro's command to commit the murder was not carried
out.

"Mr. Castro's sentence should send
a strong message to all gang members that severe sanctions will be imposed when
their conduct crosses the line into criminal activity and violent action,"
said Olson. "Mr. Castro will spend the next 14 years in federal prison.
Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in Idaho and eastern Oregon
will continue to work together to make our communities safe from violent street
gangs."

To date, five members of the BMC gang
have been sentenced to serve federal prison sentences on related charges: Adam
Gomez a/k/a "Lil Toro," of Boise, to 60 months for conspiracy to
participate in a racketeering enterprise; Jessie Rodriguez a/k/a
"Pelon," of Ontario, Oregon, to 115 months for conspiracy to
participate in a racketeering enterprise, attempted murder in aid of
racketeering, and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of
racketeering; Salvador Apodoca a/k/a "Bugz," of Pendleton, Oregon, to
60 months for assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering; Samson
Torres a/k/a "Gremlin," of Ontario, Oregon, to 70 months in prison
for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise; and Mathew Grover,
a/k/a "Dreamin," of Fruitland, Idaho, to 51 months in prison for
conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and unlawful possession
of a firearm.

Two co-defendants await sentencing: Juan
Gonzalez a/k/a "Chango," 27, pled guilty on July 13 to conspiracy to
participate in a racketeering enterprise. Sentencing is set for October 1.
Amando Garcia, Jr., a/k/a Amando Torres, a/k/a "Toro," 29, pled
guilty on August 8 to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise
and attempted murder in aid of racketeering. Sentencing is set for October 29
in Boise. The conspiracy charge is punishable by up to life in prison, a
maximum fine of $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release. The
attempted murder in aid of racketeering charge is punishable by up to 10 years
in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised
release.

The federal racketeer influenced corrupt
organizations (RICO) law prohibits individuals from participating, or
conspiring to participate, in the conduct of an enterprise through a pattern of
racketeering activity. An enterprise is defined as any individual, partnership,
corporation, association, or other legal entity, and any union or group of
individuals associated in fact although not a legal entity. Racketeering
activity is defined as specified criminal acts, including murder, arson,
distribution of controlled substances, and intimidation and retaliation against
witnesses.

The investigation, named "Operation
Black Magic," included the cooperative law enforcement efforts of the
Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crime Task Force, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the
Ada County Sheriff's Office, the Boise Police Department, the Caldwell Police
Department, the Canyon County Sheriff's Office, the Idaho Department of
Corrections, the Malheur County Sheriff's Office, the Meridian Police
Department, the Nampa Police Department, the Nyssa Police Department, the
Ontario Police Department, the Oregon State Police, and the U.S. Attorney's
Office. The investigation is ongoing.